Categories: Google

Posted by: Olga Kharif on April 01

Go to Google.com, and you’ll see that Google has just renamed itself Topeka, after Topeka, K.S. Yes, it’s an April Fool’s joke. But it indicates that Google has noted the city’s efforts to attract its notice and to be considered for the Google Fiber project, which will bring ultra-fast broadband to a lucky city or several in the coming months.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on March 05

This week, Google sealed the deal on video search capabilities for its YouTube portal, saying it would provide auto-captions for all of its uploaded videos using proprietary Google’s Speech Technology.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on February 09

Google is taking steps to address customer support problems that cropped up soon after the release of its Nexus One, a phone that Google currently only sells online. On Feb. 8, Google began providing phone support in addition to existing efforts to solve problems through online forums.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on January 06

Google’s Nexus One is being promoted on a piece of prime online search real estate that no advertiser normally has access to. U.S. users going to Google.com today can see a promotion for Nexus One right underneath the search box. Next to a tiny icon of the phone, are the words, “Experience Nexus One, the new Android phone from Google.”

Posted by: Olga Kharif on November 23

Even post its recent acquisition of AdMob, Google is far from dominant in mobile ads, though it does control the largest, 24% slice of the market, according to a Nov. 23 report from consultant IDC. Google and AdMob should report $68 million in mobile ad revenue this year, IDC estimates. But Millennial Media, with its $51 million in sales, is nipping at Google’s heels. And Yahoo and Microsoft are firing on on all cylinders in mobile ads as well.

Posted by: Rob Hof on November 23

If anyone doubted Google was serious about online display advertising, those doubts surely were quashed today. This morning, Google announced the acquisition of Teracent, a startup that helps advertisers format…

Posted by: Stephen Wildstrom on October 11

Posted by: Olga Kharif on October 09

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission sent a letter to Google, asking the search giant to explain how its Google Voice service works, how many people are using it, and how much money it makes — information Google has not disclosed publicly. The inquiry was launched a couple of weeks after AT&T sent a letter to the FCC, alleging that Google may be “systematically blocking telephone calls…. in certain rural communities.”

Posted by: Rob Hof on October 01

Udi Manber, Google’s vice-president of technology for core search, joined the company almost four years ago after stints running Amazon.com’s A9 search project and serving as chief scientist at Yahoo….

Posted by: Rob Hof on September 04

The head of Google’s China operation is leaving four years after his acrimonious departure from Microsoft, the search giant is announcing Friday. Kai-Fu Lee, president of Google’s Greater China operation,…

Posted by: Olga Kharif on May 28

Speaking at a Google conference, executive Andy Rubin has just announced that 18 to 20 smartphones based on cell-phone operating system called Android will arrive later this year. They’ll be made by eight to nine different manufacturers.

Posted by: Rob Hof on May 06

Here’s a post from my colleague and editor Peter Elstrom, who spoke with British mathematician and entrepreneur Stephen Wolfram two days ago about his new search technology effort, called WolframAlpha:…

Posted by: Olga Kharif on March 06

At this year’s Cebit, Reinhard Clemens, CEO of Deutsche Telekom’s large businesses division T-Systems, criticised Windows Mobile — while giving thumbs up to rival Android software for mobile phones. The comments are interesting, as they seem to shed new light on the future of Android as software for corporate users vs. only consumers. They also may show that Microsoft’s corporate supporters are starting to look elsewhere, to alternative software and devices like the iPhone, which also offers access to corporate e-mail.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on February 13

Today is a big day for makers of software for Android, an operating system developed by a consortium of companies lead by Google and used in cell phones and other devices. Android Market — the portal where users of Android-based devices can download applications — announced that it’s now accepting paid applications from U.S. and U.K. developers. First paid apps will become available in the U.S. starting mid next week and will use Google Checkout for payment.

Posted by: Rob Hof on January 22

Google’s much-anticipated fourth-quarter earnings are out, and it appears to have beat expectations that were muted thanks to the struggling economy and Google’s own recent cost-cutting moves. Google earned a…

Posted by: Rob Hof on November 25

Two new reports appear to indicate that search—and by extension Google—might do better despite the tanking economy than investors may think. And investors are bearish indeed. Google’s stock fell again…

Posted by: Rob Hof on October 28

UPDATED with more detail throughout… After three years of wrangling, Google has settled two lawsuits from publishers and authors that claimed its book search program violated their copyrights. Under the…

Posted by: Rob Hof on October 23

Posted by: Olga Kharif on October 23

Google just announced that it will share revenues from Android Market with wireless carriers. Developers will get 70% of the revenues from selling their applications through the marketplace. And, once Google’s costs are covered, carriers will get the rest. That’s quite different from Google rivals’ business models. As you’ll recall, Apple pockets that 30% revenue share from selling apps on its iTunes service.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on October 16

Handango just made a brilliant, counter-intuitive move. This independent provider of applications for BlackBerry devices as well as for Windows Mobile- and Symbian-based smartphones just launched its own marketplace for applications for phones based on Android software.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on October 02

T-Mobile USA has stopped taking orders for T-Mobile G1, the first phone based on Android software. Last week, the carrier said that customers who preorder the device will find it at their doorstep as early as Oct. 22. Supposedly, T-Mobile has run out of its first batch of units within a week of the G1 announcement.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on October 01

Andy Rubin, who heads up Google’s Android efforts, spoke to me yesterday about his vision for the Android Market. In particular, we talked about how the market will be different from Apple’s iTunes App Store and some other efforts, which also peddle software for cell phones.

Posted by: Olga Kharif on September 16

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that, this year, HTC expects to ship 600,000 to 700,000 units of the first smartphone based on Android operating system and due out this fall. Android is a software package built by Google and a number of other companies, a package that a lot of developers are super excited about. HTC estimate is way above analysts’ estimates of 300,000 to 500,000 units sold. So who is right — HTC, or the analysts?

Posted by: Rob Hof on August 19

Posted by: Olga Kharif on August 15

The first mobile phone based on Android, which is software supported by Google, will debut this fall. Moe Tanabian, senior principal at IBB Consulting, has been able to give me a lot of details today on the software inside the device.

Posted by: Rob Hof on August 01

Yahoo’s long-awaited (or long-dreaded) annual shareholders meeting is about to begin, and wireless gods willing, I’ll be liveblogging the proceedings—even if they aren’t expected to be very exciting. You can…

Posted by: Rob Hof on July 13

Yahoo has rejected yet another bid to buy its search operations, this time a combined, take-it-or-leave-it offer from Microsoft and activist investor Carl Icahn. The embattled Internet pioneer said the…

Posted by: Rob Hof on April 24

Overshadowing Microsoft’s somewhat disappointing report on third-quarter results were questions about its unsolicited bid for Yahoo. The gist of Microsoft’s comments was pretty much the same: We’ve offered plenty, so…

Posted by: Olga Kharif on November 06

Google-lead Open Handset Alliance is hoping its efforts will result in a slew of new, innovative applications and services for cell phones. The alliance’s Web site posts some new applications ideas — from kids. But what kind of applications would you like to see? What’s on your wish list?

Posted by: Rob Hof on November 05

After months of speculation, Google has finally announced—no, not the much-anticipated Gphone, but an operating system for mobile phones. Andy Rubin, Google’s director of mobile platforms, whose company Android that…

Posted by: Rob Hof on October 02

Starting Oct. 3, companies using Google Apps Premier Edition, the for-pay version of Google’s suite of online office-productivity applications, will see a new button to add security and compliance services…

Posted by: Rob Hof on September 04

With the $300 million purchase of ad network BlueLithium today, Yahoo! is moving further into targeting ads based on people’s online behavior. Behavioral targeting, as it’s known, helps marketers track…

Posted by: Rob Hof on April 30

Posted by: Rob Hof on April 25

First, Google’s sites (including YouTube) pass Microsoft’s family in traffic. Then it lands the crown as world’s most powerful brand, again taking Microsoft’s place. (“Physical property is not included,” a…

Posted by: Peter Burrows on March 30

Google is winning today, but they might lose it tomorrow…Unlike other companies in the past, they can’t assume success based on bundling or tying or creating a walled garden of some sort. That’s not their business model.

Posted by: Rob Hof on March 06

That’s the question roiling the blogosphere today, following a speech today (masterfully leaked in advance for maximum publicity) by a Microsoft lawyer to the Association of American Publishers, slamming Google’s…

Posted by: Rob Hof on February 05

Google has offered struggling newspapers and other publishers a Faustian bargain. Through the search giant’s AdSense programs, ads get placed on their sites, bringing in revenue that they wouldn’t have…

Posted by: Rob Hof on July 06

eBay investors apparently don’t like the just-announced departure of Jeff Jordan, president of eBay’s PayPal unit. The stock’s down almost 5% this morning. Given the relative success of PayPal—as well…

Posted by: Rob Hof on June 21

Forrester Research analyst Charlene Li has some interesting thoughts about what Google might do with the online payment system it’s supposed to be working on. I’m not so sure many…

About

BusinessWeek writers Peter Burrows, Cliff Edwards, Olga Kharif, Aaron Ricadela, Douglas MacMillan, and Spencer Ante dig behind the headlines to analyze what’s really happening throughout the world of technology. One of the first mainstream media tech blogs, Tech Beat covers everything from tech bellwethers like Apple, Google, and Intel and emerging new leaders such as Facebook to new technologies, trends, and controversies.